Horror Novella Quick Reviews

Haunt Sweet Home by Sarah Pinsker (2024)

Mara is just drifting along in life when she lands a job on the night shift of her cousin's reality show, which combines ghost hunting with home renovations.  While the gags she sets up may not be real, something weird is going on while on the set of their latest show.  Mara must confront her own beliefs while also questioning her journey in life.  I think a lot of people will relate to Mara - she's not a kid anymore, but she doesn't quite have it all figured out.  She has no real career path and moves from one idea to the next.  She joins the crew of a reality show, where she meets Jo and the two grow somewhat close, although their relationship struck me as a bit strange.  I wouldn't say this book is scary - it was pretty obvious to me from the start what was going on, and I think that did make for some unsettling moments.  But this novella is mostly about Mara and her trying to find herself.  4 stars

The Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir (originally published 2021, translated 2024)

Iðunn's constant fatigue is unsettling, especially since no doctor can pinpoint a reason for it.  One night, she falls asleep with her step counter on, and in the morning she is shocked to find out she supposedly walked several miles during the night - without having any knowledge of it.  Then, she starts waking up injured - what is going on?  Other than reading the blurb, I went into this novella totally blind, and that's definitely the way to go.  I was so engrossed in Iðunn's story - she is desperate for answers, and her restlessness really comes through.  As she comes up with new ways to stop her night walks and try to figure out where she goes and why, the reader is pulled into her plight, which feels creepier and more eerie as it goes along.  The writing is crisp and snappy, with a dry humor throughout.  This could definitely be read in one sitting, as the story moves quickly and some chapters are only one sentence long.  The book faltered for me a bit in the end - I get that the author doesn't need to totally spell everything out for the reader, but it was a little too nebulous for me.  4 stars

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